Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Watching the extensive media coverage of the earthquake aftermath in Haiti, no one can deny that it is a horrible calamity. However, despite the heartbreak of the events, they do serve to emphasize the benefits brought by globalization and the powers of technology.
The damage caused by the earthquake was not limited to properties and infrastructures; thousands of lives were lost and survivors are left with traumatized souls.
The Haitian government estimates the minimum death tolls is 200,000. Approximately 80,000 victims still remain under rubble.
Even before the earthquake Haiti was a dysfunctional country. Extreme poverty, corruption, violence, poor resources and deficits in the health care system put the nation in great crisis. Now, with even more grimness, the only thing Haitian citizens can do is pray for more foreign aid.
Fortunately, while the destructuon is immense, the international responses toward this earthquake is much improved over similar disasters of the past.
Take for instance, a similarly devastating Haitian earthquake in 1842. Reporters in that pre-TV, Internet and cell phone era could only get the news to newspapers within the territory. Information was slow in leaking out of the island.
Americans on the east coast were not informed of the Haitian earthquake until three months later. It was more than six months before people in the Midwest knew of the disaster.
The lack of global support meant that Haitians were on their own to heal their wounds. Two-thirds of the 10,000 person population of Le Cap was killed. The whole city was ruined. It was as if its once-glamorous days had never existed.
The lack of social media access in case of the 1842 earthquake caused unnecessary deaths and delayed aid.
168 years later, there have been leaps and bounds in technology. The world is connected to form a global village. Thanks to the power of social media, people can obtain first-hand information right away; relief effort is immediate.
Well-wishers from all over the world have been soliciting funds and delivering supplies in an effort to pull Haitians out of the haze as soon as possible. A week after the earthquake, worldwide donations have hit a record high of $200 million and are still coming in.
The Haitian fundraising efforts have transcended traditional forms of sending checks or cash by mail; they have entered the era of technology. Simply by posting an appeal on his or her status regarding the earthquake, a Facebook owner can send a one dollar to the rescue fund. Red Cross has also raised more than $21 million by a text message campaign, according to a CNN report.
Although most of the residents of Haiti do not have a chance to enjoy the convenience of technology, the media is able to bring their needs to the limelight; in this way, technology plays a large role in their lives.
Keep an eye on the latest updates and do whatever you can to support, sustain and improve lives of the survivors. Even the littlest efforts in our eyes are huge in the amounts of relief they bring.
— Ho is a Macau, China junior in journalism
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